PASSAIC -- One year ago, it seemed unlikely the Reid Memorial Library would see its 105th birthday.

On Sunday hundreds of people visited the building to help celebrate the milestone.

"Here it was a year ago and they wanted us to close," said Mark Auerbach, president of the library's board of trustees. "But the fact is we're still here."

Peter Reid donated the library in his wife's memory under the provision that it would only ever be used as a library, Auerbach said. Last year the City Council pushed to have the library closed but was stopped by protests by the public and media.

Auerbach said he saw irony in the fact that acting Mayor Gary Schaer attended Sunday's event, because he was one of the people on the council trying to shut the library.

"This was the man that was behind trying to close the library," he said. "And he was here today to see this place packed wall to wall with people."

As dozens of children bounced around the building, Auerbach, who is also the city historian, said it was reminiscent of when the library first opened, serving immigrant families without much money.

"There is another abundance of children, just like 100 years ago," he said.

More Than Friends, a group that works with cancer patients and survivors, handed out books, posed for pictures and read to the children. In another room, children sat at a coloring station making birthday cards for the Reid Memorial Library out of pastel construction paper.

But most of the children ran around, talked with friends and snacked on cupcakes and juice boxes.

Genesis Figueroa, 11, a sixth-grader in the gifted and talented program at The Learning Center, stood with a large group of friends during the celebration discussing the scrapbook they made about the history of the city.

The 10-page book was on display at the library. The first page, which Figueroa and three friends made, was about the Reid Library.

Amid the I's dotted with hearts was the excerpt, "In 2007 ex-Mayor Sammy Rivera and Assemblyman Gary Schaer wanted to close down the library because of (the) budget. But people of our city protested, and the library is still here today!"

Lilly Ledesma, 11, who also worked on the Reid Library page of the scrapbook, said she goes to the library all the time.

"Whenever I'm sad or mad or something, I come here and read a book," said Lilly, who said she reads mostly mysteries and sometimes books about teens going through hard times.

The refreshments for Sunday's event were donated by the ShopRite on Paulison Avenue. The red and black plastic fire hats worn by most of the young children were donated by the Passaic Fire Department.

Despite recent hardships there was no sign of negativity among the people at the 105th birthday celebration. Even as the weather outside worsened, with bursts of heavy rain, many families continued walking in and out of the library.

"Maybe it's fitting and proper that the rain comes down," Auerbach said. "It's supposed to be good luck."